November 25, 2020South America

Drone Spots in South America: Top 12 Locations for Pilots 2026

The most beautiful drone spots in South America: My ultimate guide

South America is made for drone photography. Endless coastlines, surreal desert landscapes, gigantic glaciers, and rainforests stretching to the horizon. In five trips across the continent, I explored this region with my DJI Mini 5 Pro I've completed hundreds of flights and found the most spectacular spots. Here are the best drone locations in South America, with GPS coordinates, legal information, and my personal tips.

Drone rules in South America: What you need to know

Before we get to the locations: Drone legislation in South America is a patchwork. In some countries it's straightforward, in others you need a permit, and in a few it's practically forbidden. Here's an overview:

Argentina: Glaciers, Pampas and Patagonia

1. Perito Moreno Glacier

Arguably the most dramatic drone spot in South America. The glacier is 5 km wide, 60 m high, and calves regularly, tons of ice break off and plunge into the turquoise water. From above, you can see the structure of the ice: deep blue crevasses, white ridges, and the interplay of colors between the glacier and Lago Argentino. My drone flight here produced my most-shared reel of 2023.

• Starting position: Viewing platforms on the southern arm (-50.4967, -73.1367)
• Best time: October-March (summer)
• Danger: Wind gusts up to 60 km/h are normal, only fly in calm weather!

2. Fitz Roy, El Chaltén

The granite spires of Fitz Roy at sunrise, when their peaks are bathed in orange light (alpenglow in South American terms). From the drone, you can see Laguna de los Tres and the glacier tongue behind it. A motif that should be in every photographer's portfolio.

• Starting position: Mirador Laguna de los Tres (-49.2800, -72.9567)
• Hike: 4-5 hours to the starting point, take the drone in your backpack
• Best time: December-February, sunrise from 5:30 am

3. Iguazu Falls

275 individual waterfalls, the largest waterfall chain in the world. From a drone, the scale is overwhelming, the "Garganta del Diablo" (Devil's Throat) is an 80m deep basin into which water plunges from all directions. The spray creates permanent rainbows.

Brazil: Coast, Jungle and Rio

4. Lençóis Maranhenses

White sand dunes with turquoise rainwater lagoons, it looks like a mirage, but it's real. From the drone, you can see the pattern: dozens of lagoons nestled among the dunes, some 100 meters long. After the rainy season (May-September), the lagoons are at their fullest and the colors at their most intense.

• Starting position: Atins or Barreirinhas
• Best time: June-August (lagoons full, little rain)
• Insider: Hire a guide with a four-wheel drive to take you to the remote lagoons, there you'll be alone.

5. Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf Mountain

The world's most iconic cityscape from above. Copacabana Beach, the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, all in a single drone panorama. BUT: Rio has a no-fly zone around Santos Dumont Airport and Corcovado Mountain. I flew from Praia de São Conrado, legally, safely, and with a perfect view of the skyline.

• Best time: April-September (less haze, clearer visibility)
• Maximum height: 120m (strict in Rio)

6. Fernando de Noronha

Perhaps the most beautiful archipelago in Brazil: volcanic rocks, turquoise waters, turtles, and dolphins. The drone's perspective reveals the bizarre rock formation "Morro Dois Irmãos" and Baía do Sancho (according to TripAdvisor, the best beach in the world). Drone flights require permission from the ICMBio park authority, apply online; processing time is 5-7 days.

Chile: Desert, Lakes and Volcanoes

7. Atacama Desert: Valle de la Luna

The driest desert in the world, a Martian landscape on Earth. From the drone, you can see the salt formations, the eroded rock formations, and the endless expanse in all earth tones: red, orange, brown, white. At sunset, everything turns deep gold and violet.

• Starting position: Mirador Valle de la Luna (-22.9133, -68.2933)
• Best time: Year-round (it never rains), sunsets are perfect
• Insider: Flying on a full moon, the desert in moonlight from above is surreal.

8. Torres del Paine: The highlight of Patagonia

The three granite towers that give the park its name are even more imposing from a drone than from the ground. The view over Lago Grey with its icebergs, the grey granite towers, and the endless steppe in the background, a panorama that surpasses any desktop background.

Colombia: Caribbean from above

9. San Andres and Providencia

The "Sea of Seven Colors", and from the drone you can see all seven. The water changes from deep blue to turquoise to emerald green, interspersed with sandbanks and coral reefs. Providencia (rebuilt after Hurricane Iota in 2020) is even more spectacular: fewer tourists, a wilder landscape, pristine reefs.

• Starting position: Johnny Cay from the coast of San Andrés
• Best time: February-April (clearest water)

10. Cocora Valley

Sixty-meter-high wax palms in a green valley shrouded in mist, from a drone, it looks like a scene from Jurassic Park. The aerial perspective reveals the incredible height of the palms in relation to the landscape. The best shots are taken in the morning when the mist drifts through the valley.

• Best time: Mornings 6-8 am (fog + light)
• Starting position: Valley entrance near Salento

Bolivia: Surreal Landscapes

11. Salar de Uyuni

During the rainy season, the world's largest salt flat becomes the world's largest mirror. From a drone, the effect is breathtaking: you literally see double, sky and earth merge. In the dry season, on the other hand, the geometric salt patterns, gigantic hexagons stretching to the horizon, are revealed.

• Starting position: Isla Incahuasi (-20.2417, -67.6267)
• Rainy season: January-March (mirror effect)
• Drying time: June-October (salt pattern)
• Insider: Fly at sunrise or sunset, the reflections are most intense then.

Peru: Mountains and Ruins

12. Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)

The "Rainbow Mountain" at 5,200m altitude, layers of earth in red, yellow, green, turquoise, and violet. From the drone, you can see the entire color spectrum and the surrounding snow-covered peaks. Important: At this altitude, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Significantly less lift. Short, controlled flights, never further than 500m.

My drone settings for South America

More drone footage of the Andes, islands and dunes

In short: Beyond the major classics, the Salkantay Trek, the Costa Verde, and Jericoacoara add three very different visual worlds to the selection. Turquoise glacial lakes and high Andes, densely forested island bays, as well as sandy roads and lagoons bring significantly more variety to a South America series.

The Salkantay Trek offers a particularly rapid change of scenery. Laguna Humantay, a turquoise glacial lake, lies at 4,200 meters, while the panorama at the 4,630-meter-high pass is dominated by the Salkantay peak and the Humantay massif. The trail then descends through cloud forest, past waterfalls and coffee and banana plantations. This means that within a single route, you'll have the opportunity to photograph high mountains, water, and dense vegetation.

In contrast, Brazil's Costa Verde focuses on the interplay between the Atlantic rainforest and the islands. The Bay of Angra dos Reis encompasses over 350 islands, its geography particularly revealing from the air. On Ilha Grande, the undeveloped, 3-kilometer-long Lopes Mendes Beach and the panoramic views from Pico do Papagaio add to the appeal. Paraty complements these natural attractions with a historic old town, a harbor, and schooner boats nestled against the mountains.

Jericoacoara brings a third design language to the portfolio: deep sandy paths, white pousadas, the Duna do Pôr do Sol, and the flat Lagoa do Paraíso. This allows for a selection in which mountains, bays, beaches, and dunes do not repeat themselves, but rather complement each other.

Photo plan for the Salkantay Trek

The five-day Salkantay Trek is not just a single viewpoint, but a succession of clearly distinct landscapes. On the first day, the trail leads from Mollepata at 3,000 m to Soraypampa at 3,900 m and then to Laguna Humantay at 4,200 m. The glacial lake is the central water feature of this stage. On the second day, the Salkantay Pass at 4,630 m follows; the panorama encompasses the 6,271 m high Salkantay Peak and the Humantay Massif.

The third stage offers the greatest contrast: it runs for approximately 16 km almost entirely downhill through cloud forest, past waterfalls and coffee and banana plantations, until you reach La Playa at 1,900 m. A 20,000 mAh power bank is advisable for technical planning, as there is no electricity during the five-day trek except on the fourth day in La Playa. For photography equipment, a lightweight setup is recommended: a mirrorless camera, a standard zoom lens, and a carbon fiber tripod. This leaves room in your daypack for water, snacks, and a rain jacket.

Costa Verde from the air

The 600 km long Costa Verde connects Rio de Janeiro with São Paulo. The interplay of rainforest, islands, beaches, and historical sites makes it particularly captivating for aerial photography. The most expansive view is offered by the Bay of Angra dos Reis, encompassing more than 350 islands. On Ilha Grande, Pico do Papagaio provides a 360-degree panorama of the bay; the round trip takes a total of 4 to 6 hours.

Lopes Mendes Beach is characterized by a minimalist aesthetic: 3 km of white sand, turquoise water, and no development. The beach is only accessible via a three-hour hike through the Atlantic Rainforest or by boat taxi. The island itself remains visually tranquil, as it is car-free and approximately 80 percent is designated as a nature reserve.

Paraty offers a contrast to these natural landscapes. The car-free old town features cobblestone streets, colonial churches, and a historic harbor from which schooners depart for the surrounding bays. The natural rock pools of Trindade provide further photographic opportunities. For boat trips and camera equipment, a 10-20 liter waterproof dry bag is essential; a lightweight rain poncho provides additional protection in the humid tropical region.

Planning equipment between the high Andes and the tropical coast

The three landscape types place different demands on transport and power supply. On the Salkantay Trek, a lightweight setup is essential, as the daypack must carry water, snacks, and a rain jacket, while also having room for the camera. A lightweight mirrorless camera, a single standard zoom lens, and a carbon fiber tripod cover the subjects along the route. The 20,000 mAh power bank powers the phone, camera, and headlamp during days without electricity.

In northern Brazil, humidity is the bigger challenge. On the buggy sections between Jericoacoara and Atins, saltwater gets into the vehicle when crossing surf. A 10- to 20-liter dry bag is therefore essential to protect the camera and other electronics. Furthermore, the power supply isn't always reliable in Atins and Jericoacoara, so a 20,000 mAh power bank for camera batteries and a phone is also useful there. A solar panel or charging case can supplement power for longer stretches without electricity.

For bright sandy areas in the Lençóis Maranhenses, ND8 or ND16 filters are recommended. ND filters serve the same purpose for bright beach shots on the Costa Verde. Preparation can thus be reduced to three key elements: a lightweight carrying system in the Andes, waterproof protection for coastal areas and lagoons, and an independent power reserve for multi-day trips.

For Tourism Boards and brands: If you want to showcase a destination like this with your own travel content, you can find information about the process and services on the website. Book a Travel Content Creator.

FAQ: Drone photography in South America

About the author

Max Haase

Travel Content Creator · Drone Photographer · Visual Storyteller

For over 10 years I have been a professional travel creator with 4M+ followers; I specialise in high-end tourism board collaborations and visual travel stories.

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